Fabricate 09

Today Pauleen and I made the trek up the Melbourne/Geelong Rd to the opening of the Fabricate 09 exhibition by the TAG (Textile Art @ the Guild) group.

There was a wonderfully diverse range of textile art by invited artists from Australia and internationally, including art dolls, indigo dyeing, felting, weaving, free machine embroidery and printing. The exhibition is beautifully hung, with the ‘luminous’ indigo dyed panels of Rowland Ricketts 111 dividing the space.

The photos below are taken from the catalogue, designed to allow them to be used as postcards, with funds from the sale supporting the TAG group activities (there are more photos on the TAG site).

All art pieces at the exhibition are for sale as well as the patterns for Jennifer Gould’s exquisite dolls. Well worth a visit.

Cheers

50th Post

My very first post on this blog was on 21st January 2008. My target was to blog once a week. As it is now 15th February I didn’t quite make that target for the first year, however I have found it a great experience and have met some truly wonderful and inspirational bloggers on-line.

This year will be a very busy one with the research project and thesis looming that will require first priority. However it is necessary to achieve this and move onto the next stage of my career as a teacher, now my children are becoming independent and the eldest is moving onto university (and perhaps out of home).

Another milestone this week was the inaugural meeting of the new Geelong Creative Fibre Arts Group for which I have set up a blog for informing our members of our activities and highlighting our achievements. I would like to thank and acknowledge Margaret’s Serentex blog for the inspiration and example for this new blog.

This group has stemmed from a core group of creative textile artists of the Geelong Embroiderer’s Guild who saw a need for a sharing and supportive group in Geelong. At our first meeting Claudia and I did a demonstration of wet and dry silk paper making and we introduced our first project: to make and swap ATC’s with the group. Many members brought some lovely pieces to show and after meeting all the ladies, I’m sure it will be a fantastic, inspiring and sharing group

Cheers

Sampler Debut

We have just returned from a wonderful week of Junior Country Week tennis in Ballarat. The kids had a fantastic week of tennis and hanging out in the pool at the caravan park afterwards. Most of the Tennis Geelong families stay in the one park so we all get together for a fabulous week. We also have 30 – 40 children bussed up each day to play (for those whose parents are working). Paddy played in the U16 section and my niece and nephew were in U19. Paddy’s team made it to the semi’s and the others made it to the Grand Final. (Photos by the Ballarat Courier here). I took some embroidery with me and made a start on my sampler. I have been following along with Sharon B’s documentation of her sampler and decided I would try the stitches out myself. This initial sampler is 16 cm x 50cm (just over 6 inches x 20 inches) and is some linen I had bought when doing Sharon’s PLOS last year.

The title is backstitch in perle cotton. This first line of stitching is an exploration of Laced Triple Running stitch as seen in Sharon’s bands 1-4.

And some close ups.

While in Ballarat I also popped into the local needlework shop and bought some hand dyed silk threads:

I might try some of these for the next bit of stitching on my sampler. I intend also using it for the Stitch Explorer Challenge that Sharon is running for 2009. The stitch for this month is ‘chicken scratch’.

We had a meeting yesterday for the Geelong Embroiderer’s Guild to get started on our xmas exhibition for the Johnston Collection (I blogged about it here). The group were happy with my proposal for ‘Sea Angels’ based on the figureheads of sailing ships. Mr Johnston travelled the world collecting Georgian, Regency and French Empire furniture, ceramics and decorative arts. There are many paintings of sailing ships in the collection and the theme of the xmas decorations will be based on his travels around the world. I am planning on experimenting with the process explained by Maggie Grey here to form the head/neck of the angels. The body will be based on a triangle shape to reflect the xmas tree centrepiece and will possibly incorporate fabric paper a la Pauleen’s sample, silk paper, fabrics, hand and machine embroidery, beading, hand dyed wool for the hair etc. The idea is to have the angels look like they are ‘of the sea’. I will be looking for lots of help from the new Creative Fibre Arts Group, who will also be invited to join in a workshop to create the xmas tree.

Finally, a request. I have been looking for a simple beading pattern to dress up this plain, black cardigan below. Any links or suggestions gratefully received. I have lots of hermatite beads of various types left over from this bag.

Cheers

‘Tis the season to be jolly

I have stayed up late to work on xmas presents (and to make sure 16 yr old gets home from party at decent hour!)

At the moment I am making a gift to match these shoes of a friend of mine. She mentioned how much she liked Carly’s beaded bag and how she needed a bag (and a bracelet would be nice) for the shoes she wore to the valedictory dinner. Quite a broad hint I couldn’t possibly miss!!!!

I doodled around on paper and came up with the following design. As she goes to the gym quite often and lifts weights, I thought it quite appropriate that it actually looks a bit like a weightlifter. I wonder if she’ll notice.

This was the beading onto the fabric, the closest colour match I could find. I then shopped around for some beads, glass and crystals, to make the bracelet. The lovely coloured glass beads are from Treasure Island Beads.

This picture also shows the bag made up before the drawstring is added. I will have a look for some perle cotton to make a twisted cord and sew some beads as loops to thread it through.

Last week we went on a lovely outing with the Embroiderer’s Guild to visit the Johnston Collection in East Melbourne. We only had two ladies not quite make it to the right carriage on the train! (we boarded at three different stops in Geelong) The Johnson Colllection is displayed in one of Mr Johnson’s houses and each Christmas a different region decorates the house. This year was Bendigo’s turn. The Embroiderer’s Guild of Bendigo decorated the Green Room, the CWA (Country Women’s Association) decorated the kitchen, ceramicists decorated the French sitting room, spinners and weavers had a room upstairs, as did the fibre art group and the patchworkers. All the displays were amazing. Next year it is Geelong’s turn so our Embroiderer’s guild branch will be decorating the Green Room. If you get a chance to visit, xmas is a great time to see these fantastic displays of art.

Cheers

Time to play

My last day at uni for this year was a graduate research conference last Saturday (hurrah, more time to play). By chance there also happened to be a bounenki market at the Nicholas Building in the city. I bought these luscious fabrics from Kimono House. The mauve is for Claudia, who said “But it’s christmas not easter!”

The conference was excellent with some very interesting and creative presenters (and great food). All the presenters were PhD students giving final or interim presentations of their research. Phillipa Robinson looked at Musical culture. Her fascinating powerpoint showed all the places in the world she had visited for her research and she illustrated the musical cultures of the world with a thread art metaphor. Another enthralling speaker was Fatemah vafaeinejad, an artist who peppered her presentation with persian philosophy on the creative/life process such as:

*’do to know’ instead of ‘know how to do’

*in the creative process nothing is fully resolved

*accept and welcome the unknown, search for the hidden layers.

I also popped in to the Skepsi on Swanston Gallery to have a look at this exhibition on my way to the train station. Absolutely beautiful, and some interesting ceramics too.

 

A few days ago, Claudia received these two wonderful ATC’s from Doreen and Ebony. They are just sensational and Ebony’s displays the most wonderful design skill, caught from her creative grandmother.

Thank you Ebony and Doreen.

Our xmas break up for Embroiderer’s Guild was Monday and was a great get together. I met Gillian, who I had discovered on the stitchin fingers network and we’re all excited about the start up next year of our Creative Fibre Art Group (aren’t we Pauleen!!! I’ve just noticed what we could shorten that to!!!) The core group who have been meeting all year will get together in January to plan for our first meeting in February.

Last night I attended the xmas meeting of the Bellarine Mac Users Group (BMUG), a friendly sharing group dedicated to mac computers. I was lucky enough to win the door prize, a Japanese wrap gown (just out of the washing machine).

Just as good was the wrapping the gown came in.

Thankyou so much to Jurgen who donated the prizes.

Now I’m off to play: Xmas cards and postcards incorporating this

a copyright free Silent Night printed onto a printable fabric sheet (100% cotton) and sprayed with moonshadow mist and radiant shimmering mist.

I’m also planning on starting Maggie Grey’s lesson one from her Textile Translations book (I am a little behind but hope to catch up over the holidays) inspired by this book I borrowed from the library. 

Cheers

Thank God it’s Monday

Only because I don’t have to go to work today!

It has been a very busy four days with the exhibition, especially for many of the members who were there every day. Claudia had a wonderful time wearing the white gloves and talking to visitors about the Junior Embroidery group exhibit. She also scored well at the close of the exhibition as the ladies gave her lots of leftovers from the gift shop. She now has a bag full of little bears and xmas stockings to give her friends and cousins for presents.

One of the lovely ladies who organises the Junior embroidery sessions was profiled at the exhibition. Her breadth of work is fascinating and her current obsession, Japanese silk embroidery, is meticulous and stunningly beautiful. Claudia kept going back to look at her little embroidered garden.

 

 

 

Our textile group had a lovely display of the boxes, clutch bags and Pauleen’s gorgeous scumble bag.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And here are two of our wonderfully talented textile group. Jenny was sitting stitching and Pauleen is standing in front of her botanical exhibit. I should have taken a close up of her leaf as it was such a beautifully fine piece of 3D embroidery.

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pauleen is presently taking names, and is overwhelmed by the great interest, for the establishment of a textile group within the Geelong Embroiderer’s Guild. We have interest from established artists, graduates of the Box Hill textile course and many other very talented textilers who have been creating a wide range of interesting pieces. We will be meeting once a month from February 2009, once we find a spare spot in the hall bookings. If you are interested, drop me an e-mail.

Cheers

Embroiderer’s Guild Exhibition

Just a quick post as it’s been a busy weekend. Thursday morning all the items were dropped off to the hall for the exhibition. Friday morning the exhibition was officially opened by the Governor of Victoria’s wife, Mrs de Krester (Actually I think she might be Dr) who admitted to having a drawer full of UFO’s. She is the patron of the Embroiderer’s Guild of Victoria. Friday night Claudia and I went to Junior Embroidery group, then Probus club held a lovely function at the exhibition to raise funds for charity, with a guest speaker from the Geelong Botanical Gardens. A special feature of the exhibition was a botanical display, where embroiderer’s guild members interpreted botanical illustrations from the gardens.

Claudia and I were supposed to be ‘on duty’ Saturday afternoon, but I found out at the last minute that I had a full day at Melbourne Uni. We will go in this afternoon. Claudia is very excited as Pauleen told her she could be a white gloves person and show the items to people.

These are the items I entered, I ran out of time for my final piece so that will have to wait for the next bi-ennial exhibition!

The box is a piece our textile group decided to do Based on Janet Edmonds book, so there was a great variety in our display (must remember to take some photos this afternoon). Mine is called ‘I am Woman’. The base fabric is a sandwich of hand painted cotton, pelmet vilene and kunin felt. The silhouettes are bayeux stitch, the windows are daphne paper (quite appropriate to the subject I felt) and the hands dangling are a sandwich of organza and glitter fabric with words from the sheer heaven stitched on. This was great fun to make. One of our members, Beryl,  loved them so much she made three. I think this will be Claudia’s summer holiday project as she wants one.

Mostly machine stitching, the sky is inspired by Van Gough’s ‘Starry nights’. This one is called ‘Endangered’

And I finally dyed some hand spun wool to finish off ‘Lilliana’. She was almost finished during an on-line Joggles class with Barbara Schoenoff. 

Claudia finished her pincushion:

and had great fun making some of Annette Emms‘ fairy shoes:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These were made using her sunprint fabric, some angelina, machined cord, hand dyed silk thread, beads and sequins.

Cheers

Out my Window

This is the view out my bedroom window, sunset one beautiful spring evening.

Claudia and I have a few projects happening, and we both need to have them finished by the 10th October for the Embroidery exhibition.

Claudia had fun painting a piece of cotton sheeting, she chose pink, orange and yellow, and then we raided the garage for some washers and left it out on the verandah. She is planning a couple of postcards, fairy shoes and a little trinket box as seen on Robin’s blog.

This is the box I am working on at the moment, I am currently doing some bayeux stitch motifs to attach.

This morning I picked daughter number 1 up from the airport after her school trip to Malaysia. She had a wonderful time. This was her view of the sunset.

Cheers

While the mice are away…..

…that means Claudia and I are the cats!

The essay I’m writing is so tedious (but important) I have to take breaks every now and then, and since most of my children and the husband are away (hardly any housework for two of us and we eat when and what we like) I have all this time to do more interesting things. I have sprayed the muslin and a sheet of Sheer heaven paper with my new radiant mists (from the Thread Studio) and they are lovely (and some moonshadow mist). I would like to put the sheer heaven through the printer , I’m hoping the paint won’t be a problem, to print some words upon. It’s going to be used on a box like this, which our textile group are making for the Embroiderer’s Guild exhibition. This is Pauline’s box in progress, hope you don’t mind me putting it on here Pauline? I also sprayed the muslin at the same time and it will be part of the layering on my box (I have lots of bits for this that I’ve been making that hopefully will look okay when put together). Looks a bit pale here from the flash, it’s much richer in colour. Also this afternoon, I decided to cover some boxes that started like this: and after a bit of spray adhesive and fabric, looked like this: Did this outside of course. I’ve promised Claudia we’ll try some sun printing if it’s sunny tomorrow, this spring weather is very unpredictable. Cheers

I’m Back and the Mighty Geelong Cats march on

The Australian Rules footy finals have begun this weekend, and this year we naturally expect the Cats to go all the way again, so much so that my husband’s road trip with the boys has been planned so he returns in time for the Grand Final. There is a ballot for Grand Final tickets, which annoys many Geelong Footy club members who feel they should be guaranteed a ticket. We will put our two memberships in the draw and see how we go. Out of 30,000 members, the club is allocated about 12-13,000 tickets so there will be quite a few disappointed people around.

It is such a pleasure to type on the new imac, I’m loving it. I have set up the automatic backup, and it has heaps more oomph and memory than the laptop.

I will use this post to catch up on all the posts I’ve missed while having severe computer problems.

I’ve started knitting two scarves, one just an ordinary straight one, the other a cool pattern I found on Kitty, which has some fantastic free patterns. Although spring is sprung and today was a beautiful day, I am not fooled, we will still have some chilly weather ahead.

 

This post is going to take the format of Jackie French’s wonderful shortlisted Children’s Book Council Award book, The Shaggy Gully Times. Her book is based on a weekly country newspaper where the stories are written throughout the week until the published date. it contains some very funny word puns which the children I’m teaching find extremely amusing.

One week later and, the Cats have won their first final convincingly, they have a weekend off followed by the prelim next weekend. We have put our tickets in the ballot, so hopefully the cats will win and be into the Grand Final on ‘the last Saturday in September’.

A little bit later: have just been to the airport and waved daughter no. 1 off to Malaysia for her school trip (Year 12 Indonesian), her first trip overseas. I don’t know who was more excited, her or me, but I did put an order in for some batik fabric and perfume.

A final picture from the FME workshop with Mandy Ginsberg of the Victorian Embroiderer’s Guild. After some exercises and experimenting, we made little felt badges. This one is for Claudia to wear to Junior Embroidery Group.

Cheerio